Soft Canadian inbound travel offset by private label growth and acquisition
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, MARCH 9, 2016 – Fairways Golf, the United States’ largest golf travel company, announced a record 7th year in a row of strong winter bookings for travel in the upcoming year. In January and February, the company increased sales by more than 36% over the same period in 2015. The increase occurred even as Canadian inbound golf tourism has declined as a result of the weak Canadian dollar. Improved domestic golf travel, coupled with a recent acquisition and strong growth in private label operations resulted in the jump in sales. Company executives believe that the overall health of golf travel in 2016 will be positive for the industry at large as well.
In late 2015, the company acquired Southern Golf Tours and Golf Packages, etc., both regional golf tour operators headquartered in Mobile, Alabama and Biloxi, Mississippi, respectively. Alan Hale, President of Fairways Golf, attributes a portion of the company’s growth to the recent acquisitions. “While sales in early 2016 were bolstered by the addition of Southern Golf, in December, prior to the purchase, pre-season sales were up an astonishing 49%. Our internal growth has been consistently in the 20-25% range and we attribute this to our leading golf course management and resort partners continuing to innovate and create golf packages that golfers want to buy.” said Hale.
About Fairways Golf: Fairways Golf, and primary consumer brand, GolfThere, are headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama and were founded in 1990. The company has grown to be the largest golf travel company in the USA and also serves as an inbound travel provider for international golf travel companies. Private label partnerships include golf course management companies, golf trails, tourist boards, CVB’s, travel agency groups, and hotels/resorts. Fairways Golf Vacations (travel industry), GolfThere (www.golfthere.com), and Troon Golf Vacations (consumer, private label), are the company’s principal retail brands. More information can be found at its corporate website: www.FairwaysGolf.com.
Contact:
Fairways Golf Contacts:
2 Chase Corporate Center, Suite 90 Mary Pat Sullivan
Birmingham, AL 35244 Sullivan Marketing Advisors
(205) 313-6415; www.FairwaysGolf.com (516) 488-9419; travelmp@aol.com
Kim Siegal
GolfThere & Fairways Golf
(205) 949-4911; kim.siegal@fairwaysgolf.com
